Wednesday, April 29, 2009

When the topic of washing wool came up on The Welcome Mat, drying it followed. I hate static and as we discussed the pros and cons of fabric softener member OneRugTwoRug suggested pinning a safety pin to the wool before adding it to the dryer.I'm not sure why this works but it really does. Not a snap, crackle or pop to be found.Now how can I get the cats to wear a safety pin... guess l'll try wearing one myself ?It might help some things but it won't help others ... Look at my hair !

It was time to get my shibori wool and the latest samples from my future RHM articles on the shelves. Both methods produce wrinkled wool as we heat set in the wrinkles , but oh my what wonderful wool !I got the iron and for the first time in my life pressed my wool. Many people advocate this as they feel it makes the wool go further.I don't really like the feel of the ironed wool, it kinda resembled construction paper, indeed it did get bigger as well as thinner. Me I like a soft hand, not a smooth one in my wool.The Wool

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Is that even a word ? I don't know but as a fiber artist I am strongly against glue, I'm such a purist I make myself sick !Nevertheless even if glue goes against my grain I know lots of you like to use it and even get great effects from it.I think glue is like anything there is a time and a place and you might as well use the right one. The big question is what glue works best for which project ?Your worries are over... go here and select what you want to glue to what, get choices for different effects, stiff , flexible, the option are amazing.Long may you stick.

Shibori class is going splendidly , I've begun to provide videos to help with small things that make a big difference ! Students say it really helps ! I hope to soon pop some here for you all to see, I just want to make shorties... what would you like to see ?

There are a lot of things to do right now and there is only one of me.I confess, I WANT A sidekick. Tonight I have to dye a yd of wool made a short video and finish tyeing on my strips, see below !It is already 8....

Any volunteers ?

My wonderful hookers spent hook -in day here tying 7 dyed wool samples onto over 300 pamphlets to put in the swag bag at the OHCG annual show. Bless them, it had taken almost 4 hours to fold them and punch holes in them to hold the samples. They really helped me out, thank you ladies !

Sunday, April 19, 2009

At the end of a class I usually like to compose notes that tell the short story of what heard and thought ofduring the process, things we need to be reminded of and things we discovered together.Here is that list from the Online Creativity class of '09

• Everything we do/ create we completely represent ourselves, inner and outer.• We are all creative beings to which ever level we choose.• Much of what we can give others and ourselves with our creativity is largely untapped• There is nothing more exciting or wonderful than making something• Instinct is good, action is better• Finding new ways to do things is very rewarding• There are languages of line and colour we speak but don't often understand, nor what we are communicating to others or ourselves through these• We might be working to the expectations of others• There are a million ways to express yourself• Complexity can mask perfectionism and keep us from fulfilling our greatest desire, to be understood• Some people want to see the water from the shore, some from the wading stand point, others dive right in, some only buy the ticket to the seashore, no worries, next time you can get a little closer.• Be in charge of what you are making• Try new things consistently• Use your sense of humour• Make the soup you want to eat or serve, it's unique in all the world• Claim your birth right, accept your magnificence, exercise your creative spirit• Go forth and do bad, good and amazing work because that's how it comes to us• Lean into the wind of what's possible, let it hold you...... lean further in acceptance, now let go of expectations...... hmmm what a surprise , you are now airborne !

It is my belief that every time we create something we are revealing ourselves.Even if we are "performing" to the requirements of someone else, for instance during the execution of a commission, we are being exposed.

You might think this exposure is only the purvey of "the artiste ". No my reader you too are being read like a book by those who care to look and analyze.

What do you have in your created collection that you think most personifies you ?Have you ever investigated the meanings of your love for the triangle or curve ? Why you see a grey in every thing you do ?Stopped to wonder why you think big is better or each rug you make sits like an island on it's own instead of a link in an archipelago?

Frequently people ask me if they can do rugs I've done, meaning, copy my original work.I'm hear to tell you, anything copied loses vitality, just like that cloning movie with Michael Keaton, Multiplicity, with each replication the "copy" of himself loses something important from the effect of his whole.

So if that rug means something to me, I've conceived it, gestated it, birthed it...put all of me in it, what good will it do you ?Better to find out about yourself , know who and what you stand for, develop a voice that is true to you. Speak your ownself out loud, than to repeat what I said about me.

When asked to be flattered this way I frequently will say, that rug is all about me and I can tell you right now you have GOT to be more interesting than I am !

I think what is at play here is a desire to possess something else, not that rug as a pattern but they see something in it, or feel something from it or perceive incorrectly they are not capable of their own meanings so they want to grasps others.

Everybody can go for the gusto... all it takes is an examined idea, fearless hooking, like Michele Micarelli says, hook like nobody is watching and the ability to create in a way that's true for you.

Everything we do reveals us anyway, hook like you mean it, chose what you want to have your audience read.One strong focus , that's all you need, let it all hang out and flap and billow,snap and rattle, you might as well , we can see right through you anyway !

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I'm gingerly back in the dye pots today. My arm is a tender little pigeon wing and cannot take the fervor ( read MADNESS ) with which I formerly dyed. I do feel that this limitation has made me more creative. And that is the most welcome thing.It is always good to explore ways to accomplish your goals and not always take the right turn because you always have.

Today I was playing in the frying pan and made some Safety Pin Shibori.I like to really cram those pieces of wool onto the pins, creating completely undyed sections or a complete resist as it is called.NO DYE GETS ON THERE in other words.Most of these have been dyed with three or four dyes, I dye one side with a couple of colours, I flip the brick over and use a couple of more on the other side, then when that's all done I remove the pins and put a light wash of colour over the white places that resisted the dye. The whole piece of wool gets that treatment but the colour is so weak it doesn't influence my other colours much.

Here are the tight resist results.

And the not so tight resist results ( wool not so squished onto the pins)